BJP disagrees on release of convicts in Beant Singh's assassination

Hyderabad: The BJP on Thursday made it clear that it is not in favour of "premature release" of 13 convicts, including five jailed in assassination case of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, as sought by Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal.

"BJP is not in agreement with this," party President Amit Shah told a press conference here in response to a query on Badal seeking premature release of the 13 life convicts.

Five convicts are jailed in the assassination case of Beant Singh while one in the 1993 New Delhi bomb blast case in which nine persons were killed and 25 others, including a Youth Congress leader were injured.

Badal recently wrote to his counterparts in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat and administrators of Union Territories Delhi and Chandigarh seeking 'premature release' of the 13 life convicts who are jailed in these states under TADA Act for past several years.

Badal sought their prompt release on "humanitarian grounds".

The leader was in the city to review membership drive of the party in Telangana.

Shah, on strings of controversy courted by his party ministers and leaders with their remarks recently, said that leaders should observe restrain in their speeches.

"As far as BJP's image is concerned if any MLA or MP makes such (controversial) comments, it naturally hurts the party image... many new people have been elected. I have said many times that all should observe restraint in speeches," he said.

When asked to comment latest remark of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj that Hindus should produce four children, he said it is Sakshi's personal comment and BJP does not subscribe to it.

Shah, however, refused to make any comment on MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi's recent remark that real home- coming (Ghar Vapsi) would be when people convert to Islam.

"As far as Owaisi's comment is concerned, I don't think I should make any comment on it," he said.

He said that BJP has appealed to all "so-called" secular parties to support them in a bringing stringent anti-conversion law but it is sad that none came forward till now.